


Dreams in the South

by virgils-anxiety (lostboyxan)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Anxiety Attacks, Cussing, Deceit is a young kid, Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Nightmares, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-30 00:01:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16275068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostboyxan/pseuds/virgils-anxiety
Summary: Virgil Thompson has a new life, a new family, and, by the looks of it, a new chance at love. He’s left the pain of his old life in New York and moved in with his extended family in Texas. He ends up on a boring, dusty old farm. But he doesn’t mind that at all. The farmhand, Roman, seemed to step straight out of a pulp novel with his hard shoulders that carry squealing calves with no sweat. Virgil is pulled out of his shell by his sunny smile.Under the dark blue skies of Texas, he meets Roman who reminds him that life isn’t so bad. He was only a good friend, right? His skype calls with Logan and Patton are getting fewer and fewer by the day. New York fades into obscurity. His aunt and uncle are sweet folks that never raise a hand even to their animals. His cousin is too snarky for his own good and pretends to be a sweet angel. Yeah right.Does Virgil learn to believe in true love? Is there a such thing as a family that doesn’t have closed doors and nightmares? Is Roman ever more than a friend? Are there secrets hidden in his past that Logan is keeping from him? Will Deegan ever own up to his greatest moral failing in his eleven years of life? Will Virgil ever learn to be true to himself?





	1. The Move

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a story that I started writing at the beginning of the year, and was meant for the Sanders Sides Big Bang that was happening on Tumblr, but I ended up having to drop out due to personal issues. So, I decided I'd continue it anyway and post it as a regular story. As you can see, I love angst. Hope you enjoy!

The move to Texas was immensely sudden. Virgil hadn’t expected his parents to follow through on their threat to kick him out of their home, but they did. They had given him seven days to pack up all his belongings before they shipped him off to live with his aunt and uncle. He wouldn’t go as far as to say he would miss his parents, but he knew he would miss the small town he had grown up in.

His parents hadn’t even accompanied him to the airport. They simply called a taxi for him, tossed his luggage in the trunk, and waved goodbye. The only money he had was money he had stolen from his parents’ room while they were downstairs. When he got to the airport, he quickly checked in for his flight, then sat near his gate, anxiously awaiting the call that told him his flight was boarding.

He was nervous, to say the least. He hadn’t been on a plane since he was three years old, and that was the last time he’d even seen his aunt and uncle. He briefly wondered what had changed, or if they would even remember him. He vaguely remembered his parents talking about Virgil’s aunt and uncle having a baby, but he hadn’t heard much about anything regarding his extended family after that. His dad told him that he and his sister had had an argument and had stopped talking, and Virgil was always too afraid to ask too many questions.

Suddenly, people began filing in a line near the gate, and Virgil realized he must have missed the first boarding call. He stood, grabbed his bag, and found his proper place in the line full of people. When he boarded the plane, he immediately found an empty seat near a window and silently hoped that no one would sit in the seats next to him. Of course, however, the universe loved to work against him, and he ended up next to a mother and toddler. The toddler was rambunctious, kicking the seat in front of him and pestering his mother as she desperately attempted to calm him.

Virgil did his best to ignore the pair as he stared out the window, watching the people and vehicles pass by the plane as it moved to the runway. Surprisingly, as the plane took off, the young boy next to him relaxed almost immediately. Virgil tried to ignore the growing anxiety in his system as the plane ascended high above the clouds. Once the plane steadied in the air, Virgil let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. The flight attendant gave the all-clear for electronic devices and movement around the plane, so Virgil quickly pulled his headphones out of his bag and slipped them on, barely noticing as the mother in his row stood to take her young son to the restroom. Virgil scrolled through his music playlists, choosing one that his best friend, Logan, had made for him while he was still home. It was compiled of classical, soothing music and was titled, “For Anxiety”.

Virgil frowned as he remembered that he likely would not see his two best friends, Patton and Logan, for a very long time. Virgil wasn’t sure how long he’d be living in Texas with his aunt and uncle, and he doubted that his friends would be able to afford to fly all the way from New York to Texas just to visit _him_. They had promised, however, to call him often on Skype. They assured him that just because he would be almost 2,000 miles away from them, their friendship would be as strong as ever.

Virgil tapped the shuffle button on the playlist he had picked out and sighed as the music filled his ears. He leaned his head against the wall of the plane and gazed out the window, trying to imagine what life in Texas would be like. He dozed off shortly after to the sound of delicate fingers pressing against piano keys and the sight of the fluffy clouds passing by as the plane glided through the sky.

He later awoke to the abrupt stop of the plane as it landed on the runway. Virgil jerked in his seat and glanced out the window, realizing that he was already in Texas. As he became more aware of his surroundings, he realized that the classical music playlist was still playing, but his headphones had fallen around the back of his neck. He was curled in on himself in the small airplane seat, and his spine was curved in a way that was extremely uncomfortable. He untwisted himself and paused the music, leaving the headphones around his neck and setting his backpack on his lap. He waited patiently as the plane slowed to a stop and the passengers began to stand up. He silently thanked himself for choosing a seat so close to the front, as he was able to quickly get off the plane and head towards the baggage claim area.

As he waited for the baggage to be sent down, he briefly panicked, wondering if he’d be able to find his aunt and uncle, or whoever was picking him up from the airport. How would he know who they are, or what they look like? He hadn’t seen them since he was 3 years old, and they were bound to have changed even somewhat within fourteen years.

 _Bonnie and Arthur Wilson_ , he recalled his parents telling him when he was young. They lived in a small town called Leona, where they’d been raising their farm for almost 20 years. They had a son when Virgil was about nine years old, but he couldn’t remember the name of the child. However, he did remember his father exclaiming that it was such a strange name for a child to have.

Virgil looked up and saw his bags sliding down the chute and onto the conveyor belt, along with many other bags that belonged to the crowd of people around him. Virgil quickly snatched his suitcase and duffle bag, then headed towards the escalator, hoping he’d find his aunt and uncle in the more public area of the airport.

Virgil breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that there were not many people downstairs. He glanced around, realizing that he would have been able to spot his aunt and uncle easily, even if they didn’t have a large sign with large maroon letters that read, “Welcome to Texas, Virgil!” His aunt and uncle both wore large smiles, eagerly trying to spot their nephew. When he made eye contact with them, he gave an awkward smile and his aunt began frantically waving her arms at him, as if she didn’t already have his attention. He inwardly cringed, hoping people weren’t staring at the three of them as he made his way towards the couple.

“Bonnie and Arthur?” Virgil asked as he approached them, rocking back on his heels. Bonnie smiled even wider than before.

“You must be Virgil, right?” Bonnie asked, and Virgil nodded his head slightly. He set his duffle bag down and reached his hand out for a handshake, but instead she dropped the sign she was holding and engulfed him in a hug. Virgil tensed at the contact. The only person in his life who ever really hugged him was Patton. He wasn’t used to being hugged by a parental figure. He shied away slightly from the hug, unsure of what to do. He was not entirely comfortable with physical contact, and even though Bonnie was his aunt, he didn’t know her very well. After all, he hadn’t seen her in fourteen years. Eventually, she pulled away, and Virgil found himself conflicted with emotions of relief and sadness swirling in his mind.

“It’s so good to see you again, Virgil!” Bonnie exclaimed, her hands on his shoulders. She stepped back to get a better look at him. “Oh, you’ve gotten so big! The last time I saw you, you were just a chubby little toddler hiding behind your mother!” Virgil faked a soft smile and shrugged.

“You look so much like her – your mother, I mean,” Bonnie turned to her husband. “Arthur, doesn’t he look just like Emily?”

Virgil froze for a moment, and a sullen look crossed his features. His uncle, however, quickly noticed the change in demeanor.

“I don’t think it’s the best time to mention his parents, Bonnie,” Arthur mumbled to his wife. Bonnie turned around with wide eyes.

“Oh dear! I’ve completely forgotten! I’m so sorry, Virgil. You probably don’t want to be reminded of that,” Bonnie said pitifully. “Come on, let’s get going. You’re probably tired after such a long flight.”

Virgil decided not to mention that he had slept on the plane, because he’d do anything to be able to lock himself in a room and shut everyone out, and if he had to feign sleep to do it, then so be it. He reached for his suitcase and duffle bag, but Arthur stepped in, pushing his hands away.

“Here, I’ll take those for you, son,” he smiled, grabbing both bags.

Virgil frowned. “I’m… not your son,” he muttered. Virgil really didn’t want to think of these people as his parents. His aunt and uncle were so kind to him and his parents… were not.

Arthur’s smile fell and he looked at his nephew sympathetically. “Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry,” he said, trying to meet the boy’s gaze. Virgil looked away as Arthur gave Bonnie a sad look. “Come on.” Arthur nodded in the direction of the door. “Let’s go home.”


	2. A Place To Call Home

The drive to Bonnie and Arthur’s house was only about an hour, but it felt like an eternity to Virgil. He’d grown up in New York, so he’d become accustomed to the busy streets and constant traffic. But, here in Leona, there was almost no one. The streets seemed almost empty compared to the streets of New York, and Virgil just wanted the car ride to end.

His aunt and uncle kept asking him questions about himself and his life before he moved to Texas, and Virgil hated it. He wasn’t in the mood for talking, especially when it came to talking about his home life. Fortunately for Virgil, his aunt and uncle eventually noticed his discomfort with the current topic, and they decided to stop pestering him. For the rest of the drive, they only talked to each other about neighborhood gossip and their son; Virgil learned his name was Deegan.

As they turned a corner, Bonnie reached into the backseat of the car and put her hand on Virgil’s knee to get his attention, then she pointed toward a large area of land.

“There it is, Virgil! Your new home!”

“I hope you like it, bud. We want you to feel welcomed,” Arthur smiled softly, glancing at Virgil through the rearview mirror.

Virgil leaned to the side, hoping to get a better look at the property ahead. There was a two-story beige house on one end of the property, then a barn with crops and animals surrounding it on the other end. It was much different than his parents’ house, and there weren’t many neighbors around here, but Virgil knew he could get used to it. In fact, Virgil thought he might even _enjoy_ it. If there was no one around, there wouldn’t be constant noise and traffic. Maybe it would be peaceful.

As the car approached the house, a girl ran through the front door, smiling at waving as the car parked on a dirt patch.

“I have everything prepared!” She smiled as Bonnie and Arthur stepped out of the car.

“Thank you, Jamie,” Arthur beamed, opening the trunk of his car to get Virgil’s luggage.

Virgil stepped out of the car, walking around the back of it to meet up with Bonnie and Jamie.

“Jamie, this is our nephew, Virgil.” Bonnie grinned, placing her hand on Virgil’s back. “Virgil, this is Jamie. We hired her to help out on the farm as a summer job.”

The young girl, Jamie—who couldn’t have been older than 16—stared in awe at Virgil, smiling.

“H-hi! I, uh… I’m Jamie,” she blurted out, stretching her hand towards him. “But, I, uh, I guess you already know that. It’s great to finally meet you! I’ve heard a lot about you from your aunt and uncle — we’ve been really excited to welcome you to Texas!”

Virgil almost laughed at how bubbly and nervous the young girl seemed. He took her outstretched hand and gave her a soft smile. “Thank you. I’m… glad to be here.”

That was supposedly the truth. If he wasn’t near his parents, he was happy. Now, it seemed as if he’d never have to deal with his parents ever again. The sudden realization that he was finally free allowed a wave of relief to wash over him, and his body almost visibly relaxed.

Arthur approached Virgil from behind, his bags in hand. “Here, Virgil, I’ll show you to your room, and then maybe someone can give you a tour of the property.”

“I can do both!” Jamie interjected, quickly taking the bags from Arthur and smiling at Virgil.

Bonnie gave the two a knowing smile. “Make sure he’s comfortable, Jamie,” she said.

Jamie grinned, nodding at Bonnie and Arthur before grabbing Virgil’s hand and pulling him into the house.

When they entered, Virgil took a moment to glance around. The door led to a small entryway with a full wall to the left and a half wall to the right. Beyond the half wall was a dining room with a large wooden table that could seat eight people around it. Virgil could see into the connected room—most likely a kitchen—and from where he stood, he saw an oven. Past the archway on the full wall, there was a large living room with leather couches and soft rugs. Directly ahead of him was a wide staircase that he assumed would lead to where his room was.

As expected, Jamie pulled him up the stairs and down two different hallways before they arrived at a dark wooden door. Upon closer inspection, Virgil could see that a “V” was carved into the wood, claiming the room.

“Here’s your room!” Jamie smiled proudly, turning the doorknob and pushing the door open. “I prepared it myself. Just for you.”

Virgil mumbled a “thanks” as he stepped inside the room. There was a bed with a blue and brown blanket; and beside the bed was a nightstand with a lamp placed on top, and a few drawers below. A bulletin board hung above a dresser on the opposite wall near a closet. On the far wall, there was a wooden desk that sat just below a large window, where he could see all the animals and the barn. Virgil stepped towards the window as Jamie set his luggage near his bed.

He shrugged his backpack off and set it on the desk in front of him, leaning forward as he looked out the window, spotting a man feeding the animals. For a moment, he thought it might have been Deegan, but he quickly realized that this man was far too old to be his younger cousin.

“Who is that?” Virgil asked. Jamie joined him at the window.

“Hm? Oh, that’s Roman. He’s another one of the farmhands. He works and lives here full-time,” she explained. “I can introduce you when I give you a tour of the property, if you’d like.”

Virgil hesitated. “N-no, it’s alright,” he said finally. “I’ll just meet him later.”

“Alright.” Jamie smiled at him, placing a hand on his arm. Virgil flinched. “Want me to show you around?”

Virgil almost glared at the hand on his shoulder. Why were people touching him so much? Logan never touched him, and Patton always asked for permission. His parents, on the other hand…

“Virgil?” Jamie asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. She arched her neck, trying to look into his eyes. “Are you alright?”

Virgil blinked. “Y-yeah… Yeah, I’m good,” he replied, biting his lip. “Uh, I think I’m just gonna take some time to unpack tonight, and maybe I’ll even sleep for a bit. Could we take that tour tomorrow?”

Jamie let her hand fall from his shoulder, and Virgil could have sworn he saw a flash of disappointment cross her features before a smile took over. “Yeah, yeah, of course! You’re probably pretty tired. I’ll let you settle in.” She crossed to the door, glancing back at him once again. “I’ll see you at dinner, Virgil.”

Virgil nodded at her and she exited the room. He sighed, plopping himself down onto his new bed. He briefly considered just sleeping until dinner, but he knew it’d be a better idea to unpack first. He wanted to get adjusted here, and that would be difficult if he kept everything in his suitcase.

He reached over to his duffel bag and unzipped it, pulling out posters and pictures he had brought with him. Back in New York, he hadn’t been allowed to keep many possessions, and more items would be taken from him every time his parents decided he was doing something wrong. All he really had was a few posters from his favorite movies and bands. He set the posters aside, knowing he’d have to ask Bonnie and Arthur later if they would allow him to hang the posters on the walls of his new room.

Beneath the posters, he found a framed picture of him with Patton and Logan. Patton had been the one who had taken the picture, and he had his arm hooked around the back of Virgil’s neck, pulling him into a side hug. Patton’s sandy blonde hair was getting long and it hung in front of his face, giving him the appearance of bangs. Logan seemed unamused with the entire situation, but it could be seen that he was trying to hide a smile as the picture was taken. Virgil smiled fondly at the thought of his two best friends, and he wondered how they were doing.

As if on cue, his phone vibrated. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that his entire screen was lit up with an incoming Skype call.

**_Patton is calling…_ **

Virgil smiled. Patton always seemed to know when his friends needed him. He declined the call and quickly texted Patton.

_[5:48pm] Virgil: hang on, lemme get my laptop and we can talk_

_[5:49pm] Patton: Okay! Logan is here too!_

Virgil smiled again, setting the phone down and grabbing his backpack from the desk. He unzipped it and pulled out his small laptop. As he opened it, he noticed that there was already another call incoming from Patton. Virgil rolled his eyes fondly, clicking the green button to answer the call. Immediately, a view of Patton’s face appeared on the screen.

“Hi, kiddo!” Patton grinned, waving wildly at Virgil. “How are you doing?”

Virgil shrugged lightly, giving his friend a shy smile. “I’m alright. Tired.”

“I bet! How’s Texas? You’re there already, right?” Patton asked.

“Yes, that would be why I’m currently sitting on a bed,” Virgil chuckled. In the corner of the screen, he could see a figure moving in the bedroom. “Is that Logan?”

Patton glanced behind him, smiling. “Yeah! Logan, come say hi! It’s Virgil!”

Logan walked over to the desk, showing a half-smile to his childhood friend. “Hello, Virgil. I apologize, I’m a bit distracted at the moment. I cannot seem to find my notes for class. I seem to have misplaced them,” he said, continuing to glance around his room.

Virgil shook his head, laughing softly. Logan always took extra classes in the summer, and this year he was starting with an astronomy class.

Patton clicked his tongue. “Your notes can wait, Lo. Come on, sit down and relax for a bit. Let’s just talk to Virgil.” Patton smiled, pulling Logan’s arm down. Logan sighed, sitting on the chair he’d been sitting on before they had called Virgil.

“Are you enjoying Texas, Virgil?” Logan asked.

“I’ve only been here for about an hour, you guys,” Virgil scoffed. “But yeah, it’s alright. My aunt and uncle seem cool, and I met this girl that works on the farm. Her name’s Jamie.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re making new friends, Virgil,” Logan said, and Virgil could have sworn he detected a hint of jealousy in his voice.

Virgil and Logan had been best friends since they were nine years old, when their fathers introduced them to each other. Their parents began working for the same company and they decided it would be good if their sons became acquainted. The two families often had dinner together, allowing Logan and Virgil to really get to know each other. Virgil was very shy and Logan was quiet, but they got along well. They bonded almost immediately over their love of horror and cryptids. They often watched horror movies during a sleepover, pointing out the inconsistencies and stupidity of the characters and the movie itself. They stayed friends all through middle school and high school.

In ninth grade, they met Patton. His family had just moved from Florida and it was Patton’s first time at a public school after being homeschooled for all of childhood. He became quick friends with Logan, who introduced him to Virgil. The three were almost inseparable for the next few years of high school.

During junior year, however, Logan had come out as gay. Although Logan’s parents were accepting, Virgil’s parents were not. They forbade him from talking to Logan, afraid that Virgil would be influenced and become gay. For the next year, Virgil and Logan had to be extremely careful when hanging out. Virgil’s mother had many friends at their high school who would have no issue with snitching if they were caught together. Virgil tried his best to branch out and meet new people, but it was difficult. He had met someone in his English class named Elliott Stokes, and they had a lot in common, but Elliott was too introverted for Virgil’s liking. He missed Logan.

They later discovered that the one safe place for all three of them to hang out was at Patton’s house. They would spend as much time as possible there, and Virgil would tell his parents that he was receiving tutoring at school. His parents did eventually find out the truth, and the result was… horrifying.

“Virge? Are you okay?” Patton’s voice broke Virgil from his thoughts. That seemed to be happening often today.

“I’m fine. Texas is good. Large property.” He forced a smile and watched as Logan and Patton exchanged a worried glance.

“Is this a bad time, kiddo? I know we said we’d wait until tomorrow to call you, but we figured it’d be alright, and we missed you.”

“No, no, I’m fine, really.” Virgil shrugged. “Just…long day. I’m tired.”

“You should rest, Virgil. We can call you again tomorrow,” Logan said, his voice laced with concern. Virgil opened his mouth to respond, but a yawn erupted in protest. He could hear Patton chuckling.

“We’ll call you again tomorrow, Virge.” Patton smiled softly. He jabbed a thumb towards Logan. “Besides, Mr. Astronomer over here needs to get back to his studying. You know him.”

Virgil scoffed. “Yeah, he can never seem to take a break.” Virgil smiled as a scowl formed on Logan’s face. “Alright. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Virgil!” Patton grinned, and Logan gave a short wave as a goodbye.

The call ended, and Virgil sighed. He was almost relieved to be able to rest for once. He closed his laptop and set it back on the desk, opting to play on his phone instead. He grabbed his headphones from his backpack and plugged them into his phone.

He glanced around the room, thinking he should really unpack and get settled rather than napping, but he was just… so tired. _Fuck it_ , he thought. It could wait until tomorrow. He was exhausted, and he was going to take a nap, dammit.

He opened his music playlists and selected his usual playlist full of MCR and Evanescence, as well as many other similar bands that he enjoyed. He shoved the suitcase and duffle bag to the edge of the bed, curling up and laying his head on the extremely soft pillow. Within a few minutes, he was dead to the world.

_He awoke on the couch of a house that was sickeningly familiar. He heard shouting, and his head whipped around to find his father stumbling towards him, screaming obscenities that Virgil could not hear. It sounded as if he was underwater, and everything was far away. He watched in fear as his father stood in front of him, waving his arms wildly and shouting about something._

_Suddenly, his father’s arm shot out and grabbed the hood of Virgil’s jacket, yanking the boy towards him. Virgil opened his mouth to let out a yelp, but there was nothing. He was being spit on by his father as he shouted in his face, shaking the boy as Virgil desperately gripped his father’s arm. He watched as the man pointed in another direction. Virgil followed his hand, only seeing the staircase. He looked back at his father, but found that he had disappeared. Strangely, he could still feel his father’s hand holding Virgil’s shirt in a death grip._

_“Virgil!” A voice called out to him. A woman’s voice. His mother? No, she never expressed concern for him. Then who…?_

“-irgil! Virgil! Wake up!”

Virgil shot up from his bed, gasping for air as if he’d been drowning. He placed a hand on his chest, trying to steady his racing heart. He felt a hand on his back and one on his knee, and he glanced to his left, finding his Aunt Bonnie. He sighed in relief — he was afraid he would see one of his parents standing there.

“Are you alright? You were tossing and turning and making little noises.” She gazed at him with concern heavy in her features. Virgil swallowed, his breathing coming easier. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Y-yeah… yeah, I’m good,” he whispered, running a hand over his face.

“Are you sure?” Bonnie asked, and Virgil nodded again.

“Alright, sweetie.” She squeezed his knee, and Virgil moved his leg slightly in an attempt to get out of her grasp. “Well, dinner is ready if you want to come down.”

“Yeah, okay.” Virgil took a deep breath, then swung his legs over the edge of the bed as Bonnie stepped away. “I’ll, uh, I’ll meet you down there.” He offered a small smile, hoping to show her that he was really okay. She didn’t seem convinced, but she nodded anyway and stepped out of the room.

He picked up his phone and took his headphones off, pulling the wires away from his neck. They must have tangled around him while he was thrashing in his sleep. He set the headphones on the desk and shoved the phone in his pocket, deciding to finally get up and get dinner.

When he stepped out of his room, he could hear people talking and laughing downstairs, and it sounded like _a lot_ of people. Virgil sighed. He was still shaken from his nightmare, and he really wasn’t in the mood to be social. He stepped down the stairs, debating if he should just go back to his room and tell Bonnie he wasn’t feeling well. _No_ , he thought. This was going to be different. He was going to embrace this new situation and be thankful that Bonnie and Arthur had welcomed him into their home without any hesitation.

He continued his trek downstairs, stopping at the bottom and waiting to see if anyone noticed him. He glanced around, seeing four people bustling around the room, grabbing plates and food and talking and laughing. His shoulders slumped in relief. It wasn’t as many people as he had originally thought. He saw Bonnie, Arthur, Jamie, and then another younger man. Roman, perhaps?

“Oh, Virgil! Glad you could join us!” Arthur bellowed, placing a hand on the chair between himself and Jamie. “Here, come have a seat.”

Virgil forced a shy smile and sat down next to his uncle. He felt strange. Almost everyone else was up, moving around and helping. _Should he do something?_

Just as he was about to get up, Jamie came over, placing a hand on his back.

“Hey, Virgil, are you okay?” She asked, concern in her eyes. “Bonnie told us you weren’t feeling very well.”

Virgil blinked. “Uh, yeah, I’m fine. Just… a nightmare.” He shrugged, turning to face his plate again.

Jamie pursed her lips. “I’m sorry. Hopefully it won’t come back tonight.” Virgil nodded. He hoped so, too.

Bonnie walked back into the room with a basket of bread. “Deegan just called. He said he’ll be home in about ten minutes.”

“That boy is always late. We need to start putting some restrictions on him,” Arthur grumbled.

“Oh, let the boy have his fun. Don’t tell me you weren’t running around the city late at night when you were eleven years old,” Bonnie replied.

“No, I was not. I was home every night at six o’clock, just in time for dinner,” Arthur retorted.

Jamie leaned over to Virgil, who had tensed up when the older couple began to argue. “Don’t worry, they do this every night.”

Virgil couldn’t help but sigh in relief. He noticed that, even though the two were arguing, there was still something there… fondness or love, Virgil presumed.

Suddenly, a timer went off in the other room. “I’ll be right back,” Bonnie smiled, turning around to exit the room. She stopped abruptly, turning to face Virgil. “Virge, honey, do you eat meat?”

Virgil nodded. “Uh, yes, ma’am.”

His aunt smiled again. “Good. I completely forgot to ask and I wanted to make sure. Is steak okay?”

Virgil nodded again, and Bonnie spun on her heel and walked out of the room.

The other man, who Virgil believed to be Roman, came over to the table, setting forks and knives next to everyone’s plate. When he finished, he glanced up at Virgil and smiled.

“Hi, I don’t believe we’ve met. Virgil, right?” he asked. Virgil nodded. “I’m Roman,” he said, reaching to shake Virgil’s hand.

Virgil blinked in surprise. They were all… being _really_ nice to him. They didn’t even know him!

“It’s, uh, nice to meet you, too,” he said, shaking Roman’s hand. “I, uh, I was watching you feed the animals earlier while I was in my room.”

Roman stilled for a moment, and Virgil mentally slapped himself. That was a stupid thing to say! Yeah, nice to meet you, I was watching you from my bedroom window!

“I mean, uh, not in like a creepy way! I just saw you when I was by my desk! I wasn’t trying to stalk you or anything, I just—”

Roman smiled, huffing a laugh. “Come say hey next time, yeah? I’ll show you the animals and teach you how to feed them.”

Virgil took a breath, nodding. “Yeah, okay.”

Bonnie came back out with a large plate full of slabs of steak. “Okay, so we have steaks, mashed potatoes, green beans, and bread,” she announced. “Have as much as you’d like, Virgil, there’s plenty.”

“Yeah, Bonnie always makes way too much food. We could probably feed an entire orphanage with one night’s dinner,” Jamie joked.

“Shall we pray?” Bonnie asked, sitting down across from Arthur.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Deegan?” Roman asked from his place across from Jamie.

Arthur clicked his tongue. “If that boy wants to be late to dinner so often, then he’ll have to deal with unblessed food.”

Bonnie sighed at her husband’s comment, then turned to smile at Roman. “Would you do the honor, Roman?”

“Of course,” Roman grinned, taking Bonnie’s hand and Jamie’s hand. Jamie tapped Virgil’s hand under the table, and he glanced at her in confusion. She nodded towards hers and Roman’s joined hands.

“Oh,” he whispered softly, allowing Jamie to take his right hand as he placed his left hand in Arthur’s.

Roman glanced around, making sure everyone was ready, then he closed his eyes and bowed his head. Virgil watched momentarily as everyone did the same, and he quickly followed suit.

After a moment of silence, Roman spoke. “We thank You Lord, for all you give; the food we eat, the lives we live; and to our loved ones far away, please send your blessings, Lord, we pray. And help us all to live our days with thankful hearts and loving ways. Amen.”

“Beautiful, Roman, thank you,” Bonnie said as they all let go of each other’s hands and prepared to eat. Suddenly, the door flew open and a young boy ran inside.

“I’m here!” He exclaimed, catching his breath as he grinned at his family.

“You’re late, boy,” Arthur snapped. “Get those filthy shoes off and sit your ass down.”

Virgil flinched, watching Arthur warily. Deegan quickly stepped out of his shoes and kicked them to the corner of the room, then moved to take his seat across from Virgil. He eyed Virgil for a moment, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

“Deegan, this is your cousin, Virgil,” she said sweetly. “Do you remember when I said he would be living with us from now on?”

Deegan shrugged. “I dunno, you said something about it last week. I don’t remember,” he muttered, sticking his fork into a piece of steak and placing it on his plate.

Bonnie sighed at her son’s carelessness. “Well, I’ll tell you again, then. Virgil had to move out of his home so he’s going to stay with us now. His room is right next to yours! You two can become friends.”

Deegan shot a glare at Virgil, shaking his head. “He looks like the kind of guy who stays in his room all day long. I probably won’t see him ever.”

Virgil was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this young boy to be quite so rude to Virgil, especially during their first meeting.

“Deegan, show some respect,” Arthur growled, and Deegan rolled his eyes slightly. He glanced at Virgil again, sticking his hand out for Virgil to take.

“I’m Deegan. I guess I’m your cousin.” Virgil slowly reached out and shook the young boy’s hand. Almost immediately, Deegan retracted his hand and reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes. He slapped a spoonful of potatoes onto his plate, ignoring any looks he may have received from anyone else.

Virgil took a moment to take in the boy’s appearance. He was dressed rather nicely, wearing a black dress shirt, which had a yellow trim on the collar. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his hair looked as if it had been styled earlier that morning, but was now mussed and had not been attended to since then. He had freckles on his face, but Virgil found himself staring at the small scar over his left eye. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the boy’s left eye was slightly discolored, and the iris was a milky color.

Deegan glanced up at Virgil and narrowed his eyes as he caught him staring, and Virgil quickly focused his attention on the food laid out in front of him.

“So, Virgil, did you get a chance to look around the property?” Bonnie asked, folding her hands on the table as everyone else began to take food.

“Oh, uh, no,” Virgil replied, taking a piece of bread from the basket. “I haven’t had the chance. I, uh, fell asleep…” he said sheepishly.

Bonnie smiled warmly at him. “I figured as much. I’m glad you got to rest. I’m sure you were tired,” she said, and Virgil nodded. “You can have Jamie take you on a little tour tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“Yeah, and then I can show you how to work with the animals,” Roman spoke up, his hand covering his mouth as he chewed a piece of steak.

“Oh, were you out with the animals today, Roman? I could _hardly_ tell. You clean up nice,” Deegan teased. Roman looked genuinely flattered, and Virgil wondered if the guy really didn’t understand Deegan’s obvious sarcasm. He shook his head, ignoring the interaction between the two as he took a bite of his green beans.

Jamie placed a hand on Virgil’s knee, and he jerked slightly. What was with all the touching? “You came from New York, right, Virgil? How was that?”

He took a moment to swallow his food. “It’s, uh, a lot busier than here. More buildings and roads and… stuff.” He shrugged. He hadn’t seen much of Texas at all, so he wasn’t really sure how to compare it.

As much as he appreciated that these people were trying to make him feel welcomed, he didn’t exactly love the attention. He quickly found an excuse to turn the attention onto someone else for once, and he turned to Roman. “Ah, so, Roman, how long have you been working here? You seem pretty experienced.”

“Ah, yes!” Roman boasted. “It’s been about three years now. I started back when I was sixteen, and it was just a summer job, but I loved it so much that I asked the Wilsons if I could work here full-time!”

“And you do a wonderful job, Roman.” Bonnie smiled at him.

“Why, thank you! I like to think I do well. The animals have really taken a liking to me over these past few years, except for this one goat, but I think that’s just how he is. It’s nothing personal, really,” Roman continued.

Virgil glanced over at Deegan, furrowing his brows as he watched him use his hands to load mashed potatoes onto his spoon. Virgil didn’t even want to question it, so he turned back to listen to Roman’s babbling.

“The animals require quite a bit of attention, but it’s my job to keep them healthy! I do my best to make sure each and every one of them is happy, even if one or two may be a bit sour.”

Suddenly, Roman’s excitement was cut short as a small pile of mashed potatoes landed on his chin and neck. Everyone glanced to Deegan in shock, and he wore a mischievous smile on his face.

“Sorry, Roman.” Deegan shrugged. “I meant to hit you directly in the face, but I guess I got distracted by how fast you were talking.”

Roman’s eyes narrowed at Deegan and the younger boy was out of his seat immediately, bolting from the dining room as Roman chased him.

Bonnie shook her head, and amused laugh escaping. “Those boys,” she sighed. “It’s like having _two_ sons.”

Virgil opened his mouth to say something, but it turned into a yawn. An embarrassed blush spread across his face. He just took a nap, why was he still tired?

“Are you finished eating, Virgil?” Bonnie asked, nodding at his plate. He glanced down at it. He really hadn’t eaten much, and he almost felt bad. But he was used to not eating much at meals; there was a reason he was so skinny.

“Ah, yeah. Sorry,” he said, a sheepish look on his face. Bonnie smiled sweetly at him and shook her head.

“Don’t apologize, honey. I know you probably weren’t very hungry,” she responded. “I’ll put all the leftovers away and you can heat them up if you get hungry again later.”

He nodded hesitantly, shocked at her kindness. While he lived with his parents, he only had one chance to eat, and he better not have complained that he was hungry later. Now, Bonnie was telling him he could eat whenever he’d like. He moved to grab his plate as he stood up, but Bonnie stopped him.

“I’ll take care of it, honey. Just go on to bed.”

Virgil took a breath, then mumbled “goodnight” to his aunt and uncle before heading upstairs. This entire family situation was… overwhelming, to say the least. It was so much different than what he’d experienced for the last seventeen years, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

As he entered his room, he could see Roman and Deegan through the window, running around in the large field outside of the house. They really did act like brothers, and Virgil briefly wondered if he’d ever build a strong relationship with them. He decided to table that question for another day as he flopped down on his bed. He knew he should have changed into pajamas before laying down, but he had no chance as sleep overcame him quickly once again.


End file.
